John and Makenna first met the evening of June 11, 2022 at a social event for a church small group. John brought Shake Shack and that really got Makenna’s attention. They spent the whole night having a great time talking and laughing with each other, and quickly became great friends. They frequently enjoyed playing pickleball, watching movies, game nights, and listening to music (often with John serenading on the guitar). The timing of their official first date is up for debate, but Makenna and John’s relationship flourished and grew. They have shared many experiences and adventures together with each other and their families. They have traveled to Chicago, New Orleans, Miami, and numerous Florida beaches. They have also found a home at Grace City Church! With the help of friends, John proposed by the riverwalk at The University of Tampa, and she said yes! John had the following to say about the experience: “When I first started planning for the proposal, I hadn’t quite decided on a location, but once I told Juliana (Makenna’s sister), she provided me with a whole list of locations that Makenna would like to be proposed to at. I’m glad I had the help of our two good friends to improvise and get Makenna out of the Oxford Exchange gift shop and to the riverwalk before the sun went down. While Makenna thought it was a good time to do some Christmas shopping, we had other plans in mind! We also had to work around avoiding a huge “MARRY ME” sign from another proposal that was also happening at the same time. When I got down on one knee and asked her, she looked so happy and said yes immediately. She was so quiet, I could tell she was in complete shock!” The rest of that evening was so much fun, as John’s parents kindly opened their home to host a celebration with many friends and family. Makenna, being the hopeless romantic, began planning the wedding right away. They are very excited for their future together and are looking forward to celebrating their commitment of love to each other, with their friends and family by their side.